What Camera? (1 Viewer)

Sep 12, 2012
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I want to buy a better camera, prepared to spend C.£350 & want it to take general shots of landscapes, boaty things & people, am going on a cruise as well. Not particularly an expert photographer so looking for something that is reasonably straightforward or easy to learn.
Any suggestions please?
:)
 
Sep 10, 2013
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Nikon d400 SLR easy and good pictures you can play with the settings and get a bit arty, or just leave on auto. Only downside with SLR's is their size and weight. I used a compact Nikon cool pix for the last few years but have now gone back to the SLR as it's just better
 
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simbadog
Sep 12, 2012
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Nikon d400 SLR easy and good pictures you can play with the settings and get a bit arty, or just leave on auto. Only downside with SLR's is their size and weight. I used a compact Nikon cool pix for the last few years but have now gone back to the SLR as it's just better
Is the D400 available? Can't find any listed anywhere?

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OddSocks

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If you don't want to have to cary a heavy DSLR and learn all its complicated fucntions I can heartily reccomend the Sony Cybershot DSC HX50V

http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dschx50v

I have this and it is a brilliant little all rounder, with (at the time) a world beating 30X optical zoom. Fits in your pocket or man bag (I have one I should know lol) and takes great snaps.

It also has GPS tagging which is very cool.

I use it in place of my DSLR most times as it is so easy to use.

And it is right in your price range.

Highly recommended!
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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Slightly over your price range but I have the Canon Powershot G16 as a small compact camera for places like festivals where I can't have my usual DSLR (EOS 5D Mk3) and I have to say for basic point and shoot everyday pictures it is very nearly as good! All the normal DSLR features and settings, 20X zoom and built in Wifi as well. Without a doubt the best compact I've ever used, well worth spending the extra £50 or £60

Also if you are looking online and find seemingly great prices beware of "grey imports" that are supplied from Hong Kong or similar. You will have problems if you ever need to make a warranty claim. This applies to all cameras.

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old-mo

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Minxy

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Depends really what you're used to and what you really want to be able to do with it!

I'm no expert by any means but I have had various 'bridge' cameras - they look like smaller versions of DSLRs but the lens isn't removable - but the optical zoom capability can be massive. I've currently got a FinePix S8000fd 18x optical zoom which produces stonkingly good shots and also an Olympus E-450 DSLR with the standard and a zoom lens, as it is a 'micro four-thirds' (I can never get my head around that!) it is smaller than a normal DSLR but with the same quality of image etc. However I find that I use the FinePix 'bridge' most of the time as it is just SOOOOOO good! The main reason I got the Olympus was to be able to take fast moving/action shots which you simply can't do with a 'bridge' camera as the shutter speed is just toooooooo slow.

I didn't have to pay a lot for either of them, I think the FinePix at the time cost me around £130 complete with leather case and some other bits, whilst the Olympus was around £165 plus another £60 for the zoom lens. As I already had tripods I can use them with either and for taking 'stills' are a necessity to get the best out of it.
 
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beachcaster

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You say you are not an expert...........no camera is going to make you a good photographer....time and experience and reading a few good books on exposure and composition will help.
Forget 35 mm....too heavy and not worth the bother.....get something that will fit in your pocket and carry it with you. You will take more shots this way.

Remember what makes a good photo is subject matter..........not the camera.
Any decent make......not this years model.............. or you will pay over the odds for things you don't need.
Something like a Fuji EXR900........for about £170 at Amazon ................then buy and learn Photoshop Elements
as photography these days is also about post shot processing and Photoshop is just about the best but takes some learning.

Don't waste your money or time on a 35 mm till you have taken 10o0s of shots on a good little camera.
Even then don't bother.

I have several Nikons for studio work and a few lenses..........I would never bother to take them out with me ...only useful for me for reproduction work for magazines.

Apart from that I prefer my little Fuji X10.lovely little thing.

barry


barry
 

Allanm

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I just sold a mint condition Fuji X20 for less than £250. Cracking camera and takes excellent pictures ( as does the X10)
I wouldn't bother with a dslr, they are heavy and cumbersome and take some practice to get the best results, plus, in your price range, you are going to get older models that have been overtaken by a lot of the better compacts.
The X20 gives you superb images straight out of the camera, no need to mess about with photo editing software till you feel you want to, but, to be honest, you have to be good to get better results than the camera can give you.
Have a look at the Fuji refurbished shop, thats all I use now.
Allan

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Abacist

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Panasonic make good compact cameras as Leica put their name on one though that is out of your indicated price range. My wife and I use them when I'm not using my Canon DSLR and lenses.
 
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motorhomer

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I have a nikon p100 bridge camera, but found myself using my wife's Panasonic tz35 in preference as it is so much lighter, easier, but still takes brilliant photos. So I have just bought a tz60. I am very pleased with it.
 
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DBK

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A factor worth considering is can it be charged from 12v or USB? I've just bought a very good camera but discovered I need 240v to charge it which is potentially a problem. There are solutions for the MH but not for my push bike. Not something I had considered before purchasing.

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DBK

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A bit heavy for my push bike! A spare battery is the answer I think, worth carrying one anyway although there seems a big difference between the genuine Olympus battery circa £50 and ones off eBay for not much more than a tenner. The cheap ones don't last as long in the camera apparently as they are slightly lower voltage but I can live with that for the price difference. :)
 

magicsurfbus

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What swings it for me these days is what I see through the viewfinder. Although I had a lot of time for my Fuji S9600 bridge camera I was looking at a digital screen inside the viewfinder. When I moved to a DSLR I could actually see things the way they used to look when I had a 35mm SLR - bright and crystal clear. That makes a huge difference and I've become spoilt now. I now have a digital camera that actually takes the pictures I'm seeing when I press the button.

I have a second hand Panasonic Lumix bridge camera which is good and I use it as a lightweight spare but I can't abide trying to see clearly through its digital viewfinder for 'proper' photography. Point and shoot, fine.

As for compacts that involve peering at an LCD screen on the back on a sunny day or squinting through a small square piece of clear plastic, forget it - I simply can't be arsed. However, we all have our different requirements and I'm just getting fussy in my old age.
 

scotjimland

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What swings it for me these days is what I see through the viewfinder. Although I had a lot of time for my Fuji S9600 bridge camera I was looking at a digital screen inside the viewfinder. When I moved to a DSLR I could actually see things the way they used to look when I had a 35mm SLR - bright and crystal clear. That makes a huge difference and I've become spoilt now. I now have a digital camera that actually takes the pictures I'm seeing when I press the button.

I have a second hand Panasonic Lumix bridge camera which is good and I use it as a lightweight spare but I can't abide trying to see clearly through its digital viewfinder for 'proper' photography. Point and shoot, fine.

As for compacts that involve peering at an LCD screen on the back on a sunny day or squinting through a small square piece of clear plastic, forget it - I simply can't be arsed. However, we all have our different requirements and I'm just getting fussy in my old age.


I have a Nikon DSLR and while it takes great pictures it is bulky to carry around and like you, didn't want just an LCD screen viewfinder..
I bought a Fujifilm X100S .. it has both an optical and digital viewfinder + the back screen.. as far as I know the only camera with all three modes.

.. this review by Ken Rockwell says it all..

Fuji X100S
The World's Best Digital Camera.
23mm f/2 ASPH, 16MP DX Sensor
© 2014 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

I bought a GARIZ half leather case from Love Cases, Broken Link Removed

leather wrist strap, from Gordy's http://gordyscamerastraps.tumblr.com/

and lens hood with filter from Fujifilm.

The phot0 was taken with a Galaxy S3 for the Gordy's web site

BROKEN LINK

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Gandhi

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Had all sorts in my time.
Nikon D7, Cannons etc

What have I ended up with and LOVE?

Fuji X10
Purposely designed to look like an old fashioned camera whicj is great as it makes them undesirable to steal - but boy are they a quality bit of kit.

Buy one, use it. Love it. Tip - If you can stretch to the Fuji X20 do yourself a favour and do it, Trust me.

Idiot proof and you can get all creative and manual if you want. Betcha hang onto it.;)


Paul
 
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Robert Clark

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I was looking up some reviews and the (Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 Digital Camera, HD 1080p, 18.1MP, 30x Optical Zoom, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS & GLONASS, EVF, 3” Screen) gets good marks.

http://www.johnlewis.com/store/pana...-glonass-evf-3-screen/p1179282?navAction=jump
I've got one of these....takes great pics but I never use it since I got an iPhone. Had some reasonable results ....
If the composition and lighting is right you're on the way to a good pic.

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Mike Whittaker

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For the £350 ish your looking to spend, you should get a nice entry level dslr body! Or if you shop for used you should be able to find a lens & body deal!! I can't personally justify me spending anymore than that on a camera either.... I could ruin a 5dMK3 as quick as a cheaper model, so I stick to the cheaper body 650 / 700 D's £349 inc P+P .....Good luck!!..Mike

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SMB

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I have just bought one of these
Broken Link Removed
The deal I got included a free bag, that seems to have been removed.
Previously on my travels I was using my old Canon A610 point and shoot, or my mobile phone, but they didn't do justice to some of the places and views I saw. Very happy with the camera, it is a bit bulky but I normally walk around with my daysack anyway so it doesn't really matter much to me. Best of all, it's another gadget for me to play with (y)

*they do have the same camera with a free bag but without the 75-300mm lens:
Broken Link Removed
 
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Jim

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For the £350 ish your looking to spend, you should get a nice entry level dslr body! Or if you shop for used you should be able to find a lens & body deal!! I can't personally justify me spending anymore than that on a camera either.... I could ruin a 5dMK3 as quick as a cheaper model, so I stick to the cheaper body 650 / 700 D's £349 inc P+P .....Good luck!!..Mike


You put them to good use too. Some really nice landscapes in your Broken Link Removed (y)
 

Mike Whittaker

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Thank you Jim! (y) It's my main reason for getting a camper sorted! Had enough of sleeping in the car, & the wife is no longer happy with us towing!

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Paddywack

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greygit

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I did look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 as I like working in raw (files) but I didn't think the extra money worth it but then I must admit to being a Nikon fan. (y)

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